The page shook his head. “No, sir. It’s not.”
Ghleanna was sitting on the bed, trying to pull off her boots, when the door slammed open. She looked up, expecting a foolish Kleitos — but it was the Empress.
“You,” the royal snarled. “
“I did what, my Lady?”
“Don’t lie to me, barbarian!”
Slowly Ghleanna stood, and she towered over the monarch. “I don’t appreciate being called a liar by you or anyone else, my Lady. I’m not one of your subjects.”
The Empress didn’t let Ghleanna’s size overwhelm her. Far from it. “But you could easily become one of my victims, Cadwaladr. You’re in
“Aye. I am. But I have what you
“Ghleanna.”
Ghleanna heard Bram’s voice, but she didn’t move her gaze from Helena’s until the Empress sniffed and stormed out, taking her suffering entourage with her. Gods, to do nothing all day but follow that viper around. Like a form of hell.
Bram closed the door once they were alone and that’s when he asked, “Do you want us to die here, among the Fins? Is that your purpose, Captain? To get us both killed?”
“ No.”
“Ghleanna. .”
“It all happened so fast,” she explained. “One minute I was showing them how to fight with a battle axe and the next”—she shrugged—“revolution.”
Bram walked over to the bed and sat down. “Don’t use that word. Not if you want us to live through the night.”
Ghleanna sat on the edge of the bed. “The soldiers have no representation in her court. No one watching out for them. And no say in decisions that affect them directly. How is that fair?”
“Fair? Captain, we are hundreds and hundreds of miles under the ocean and at the whim of a dictator.”
“A dictator not nearly as powerful as her father. A dictator who needs her army, who needs our queen. A dictator whose tiny head I could easily crush between my big, meaty hands.” She smiled. “A dictator who needs you. And now. . she needs me.”
“But why? Why do you want her to need you?”
Ghleanna leaned in, kissed Bram once, twice. “My reasons are my own.” She kissed him again. “But for now”—another kiss—“we’re going to let her stew.” And another.
“And while she’s stewing whatever will we do to fill the time?”
Ghleanna climbed into Bram’s lap, facing him. She put her arms around his shoulders and said, “Fucking, my Lord. We’ll be fucking.”
“Well. . if we must.”
Laughing, Ghleanna nipped his throat. “We must, my Lord. We must.”
Chapter 15
Bram held Ghleanna’s hips, pulling her in tighter, gripping her hard with his hands while she gripped him hard with her pussy.
Sweating and gasping, the pair rolled, Bram on top once again.
He dragged his tongue along the new scar Ghleanna had where the sword had torn through scale and flesh and bone.
Ghleanna’s legs wrapped around his hips, her head thrown back and Bram buried himself inside her body again and again.
She groaned, loud and long, her body shaking beneath his as she came hard, his name a whisper on her lips.
Bram, grateful she’d climaxed because he was unsure he could hold on much longer, held Ghleanna against him as he came hard inside her.
Blindly, he lifted his head from her neck and sought her mouth, found it. They kissed, their tongues sliding, teasing, tasting — enjoying. And they’d been enjoying each other for hours.
Too bad nothing wonderful could last forever.
The bedroom door flew open.
“Are you two still at it?” the Empress snarled. “My empire is falling apart and you two are swallowing each other’s tongues — and other body parts?” Bram pulled out of the kiss and asked, “Is there a problem, Empress?” “You damn well know there’s a problem. She”—and the Empress pointed right at Ghleanna—“has turned my soldiers against me. Her death is mine for the betrayal.” Bram kindly suggested, “It seems a foolhardy move since she is the only one who currently has control of your soldiers, my Lady.” “I should have killed her when I had the chance.” “But it’s too late for that now. We have to deal with what we have. Here. At this moment.” Pointing at the door, the Empress ordered, “Get out, peacemaker.” “Empress, I don’t think it’s—” “Pull your cock out of her cunt and
Once Bram was gone, Ghleanna sat up. She didn’t get dressed, didn’t wipe the sweat from her body or Bram’s seed from her pussy.
Instead, she smiled and said, “My Lady.” “You’ve turned my soldiers against me.” “Hardly. They just want what’s fair.” “I decide what’s fair.”
“Every strong monarch I’ve known has understood that their soldiers are their life’s blood. Deny that at your peril.” “What do you want, Land Dweller?” “What your soldiers want. Representation for them in your Senate — and for your Senate to have some actual power in your empire.” “I am the one who rules here. As my father did before me.” “Isn’t he dead now?” Ghleanna asked. “By poison, I think.” Cold blue-green eyes locked on Ghleanna. “That’s never been proven.” Ghleanna chuckled. “Of course. But imagine how loyal your soldiers will be to you if you do this? Who would dare risk their wrath by angering you, knowing you have several legions at your back? And, of course, I can help you with this.” The royal smirked. “And what will that cost me, I wonder?” “Not much, my Lady,” Ghleanna told her. “Not much at all.”
Chapter 16
The gold collar was removed from Ghleanna’s throat and Bram watched her shift back to her natural form. She shook out her hair and wings and unleashed a nice bout of flame at the cave ceiling — something else that had been denied her by Helena’s yoke.
“Good gods,” Helena muttered to the sorceress who had placed and then removed the collar from Ghleanna. “Even her bloody scales have scars.”
“Beautiful, isn’t she?” Bram asked with a smile.
“Land Dweller,” she sneered.
Ghleanna put on armor given to her by the soldiers. It was quite. . elaborate and spoke of how they felt about her.
Her battle axes were tied to her back and her sword to her side.
